Is it just me or are guys acting more and more like girls? My boyfriend and I have been together for about one year. He's great and all, but once in awhile he'll pull some really "girly" moves. For example, if I don't text or call him back within an hour, he'll complain and give me a hard time. Or if I'm out with my friends, he'll give me the third degree the next day. He pretends not to be bothered by certain things, but I know he is. I feel like he is controlling and gets emotional/jealous if he's not in control. For example, if he doesn't know where I'm at, he gets really upset. I'm a pretty independent girl, so maybe I'm being oversensitive. Ugh, I just hate when my boyfriend acts like a b*atch and I'm not sure I can deal with this kind of behavior forever. What can I do?

Wearing the Pants

Dear Wearing the Pants,

You're not alone. Your sentiment is common amongst readers and friends, alike. It seems like there is a rising trend of girls who are more emotionally and financially independent and less needy and attached. And it seems this increase is affecting guys' behavior.

But really, this isn't a surprise, right? I think in human nature, as in life, there is a natural yin & yang or push & pull kind of dynamic. With that in mind, everyone has various facets to their personality. So, your independence brings out the less independent side of your boyfriend. If you guys were BOTH super independent, for example, you wouldn't have a relationship. You'd be busy doing your own thing! The truth is, people gravitate (unconsciously) towards a complementary person, but also IN the relationship, those traits become even more noticeable. Of course, this is my own personal theory of "balance" and I could totally be wrong.

IMHO, if you want your boyfriend to act less girly, then maybe you need to act MORE girly. I'm not saying you should be fake; I'm just saying you should allow that side of you to come out more. By being more feminine (as a side note,I know by engaging in the usage of the terms of "feminine" and "girly" I'm sort of adhering to stereotypes, but just go with me here because I'm trying to get to a practical solution), you are giving your boyfriend the space he needs to step up and be the confident individual you expect him to be. Make sense? Just try it. You might be surprised.

However, if you try it, and you feel like it's just not going to work for you, then maybe he just isn't the perfect fit. And that's totally possible and OK, too.

Let me know how it goes!xo,Natalisep.s. Listen to Icona Pop's "I Love It." Girly guys, guy-ish girls, manly guys, girly girls... we're all crazy, sometimes. You just need to find the right kind of crazy that works for you.